Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Physical Activity Requirements for Schools

This act changes Tennessee's rules about physical activity in schools by allowing time spent in PE classes to count towards daily or weekly requirements, adding structured movement breaks as a form of physical activity, and giving teachers the power to restrict students from participating in unstructured play if needed.

What This Bill Does

• Allows time spent in physical education (PE) class to be counted toward the required physical activity if students are actively moving during PE.
• Adds 'structured movement breaks' as a type of physical activity that schools can include in their daily or weekly plans for elementary, middle, and high school students.
• Changes the rule so teachers can stop a student from participating in unstructured play to help improve the student's behavior.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in Tennessee
• Elementary, middle, and high school students

Terms To Know

Local Education Agencies (LEAs)

School districts or other organizations that manage public schools.

Structured movement breaks

Planned times during the school day when students are encouraged to move around and be active, like walking or stretching.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much time must be spent in PE class for it to count as physical activity.
• It is unclear what specific behaviors would lead a teacher to restrict a student from participating in unstructured play.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires
that
LEAs integrate physical activity for students as follows:

(1) For elementary school students, a minimum of 40 minutes of physical activity per full school day; and

(2) For middle and high school students, a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per full school week

Present law specifies that the physical activity may include walking, jumping rope, playing volleyball, or other forms of physical activity that promote fitness and well-being. This bill further specifies that the physical activity may include
s
tructured movement breaks.

Present law specifies that the physical activity does not include time spent in a P.E. class. This bill instead provides that time spent in a P.E. class may be counted as physical activity if the students in the class are physically active.

Present law prohibits withholding a s
tudent from participating in physical activity as a form of punishment.
This bill instead authorizes a t
eacher
to
prevent a student from participating in physical activity to improve the student's behavior.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2027
By White

SENATE BILL 2189
By Stevens
SB2189
011096
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to physical activity.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) Physical activity may include:
(A) Walking, jumping rope, playing volleyball, or other forms of physical
activity that promote fitness and well-being;
(B) Structured movement breaks; and
(C) Time spent by a student in a physical education class if during such
time the students are physically active.
(2) Walking to and from class is not physical activity for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(2)(A)(ii), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(ii) Does not include time during which a student is permitted to use an electronic
device; and
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(2)(B), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(B) A teacher may prevent a student from participating in physcial activity to
improve the student's behavior.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2026-2027 school year and each school year thereafter.